City Bank v. Walton
City Bank v. Walton
Opinion of the Court
In May, 1836, the plaintiffs loaned the defendant $15,000, secured by a mortgage on a half square of ground in the faubourg Annunciation. He paid $3000* the amount of the first instalment. In the act of mortgage, it was stipulated that Walton should not alienate the property, to the prejudice of the plaintiffs’ mortgage. On the 1st of March, 1839, Walton sold the property to Samuel C. Ogden, for $17,000* of which $7000 were to be paid in three years* from the '9th of February* 1839, and $10,000 in four years from that date. In this act the-petitioners intervened, and agreed* that they would receive the notes of said Samuel C. Ogden, endorsed by George B. Ogden* discount them, and apply the proceeds to the payment of Walton’s debt; but his bond and mortgage were to be kept in full force and effect, until the notes were paid. On the 9th of June, 1842, Samuel C. Ogden sold the piece of ground to George B. Ogden, who engaged to pay his notes ; but to this act, the City Bank was not a parly. In February, 1841, George B. Ogden wrote a letter to the President and Directors of the City Bank, informing them that S. C. Ogden’s note became due that day, and that he wished to give his own note for $4000, in part payment,'permitting the mortgage note of $7000 to remain as security. This arrange
To the petition presented as aforesaid, Walton pleaded his discharge, as a bankrupt, and prayed to be dismissed. It was admitted, that he was discharged, but the court said as there was a clause, de non alienando, in the mortgage, a judgment should be given, ordering the property to be sold, and a sufficiency applied to the payment of the debt owing to the plaintiffs ; the excess, if any, reserved by the purchaser to be paid to whomsoever might own the ground at the time. From this judgment Walton has appealed.
There are various reasons why this proceeding cannot, in out-opinion, be maintained :
First. Because, it being admitted that Walton is a bankrupt, regularly discharged in the United States Court, no action, executory or ordinary, can be maintained against him, for a debt contracted previous to his bankruptcy, when the creditor has been placed on the list of creditors, filed in compliance with the act of Congress. Laying out of view entirely the question of jurisdiction in the court, we are satisfied, that if any action can be maintained at all, it must be against the assignee, and not against the discharged debtor.
Secondly. The Bank having intervened in the act of sale from Walton to Samuel C. Ogden, and consented lo the transfer of the property mortgaged, we think the clause, de non alienando, in the mortgage, is modified in its effects, if not entirely destroyed, and that, the proceedings should be against the third possessors of the
The judgment of the Commercial Court is, therefore, annulled and reversed, and the case dismissed at the costs of the plaintiff in both courts,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The City Bank of New Orleans v. John S. Walton
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published